Ilvermorny
by Sabrina5183
Summary: "Do you know anything about the wizarding community in America?" "I do know a few things, actually. I know you have rather backwards laws about relations with non-magic people. That you're not meant to befriend them, that you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me."
1. Chapter 1

The doorbell echoed through the silent Herbert household, causing chaos you would expect from a household with three young children left alone.

"It's a crazy woman dressed as a witch. I've never seen her before," Camilla stated as she walked down the staircase to see her brother. Jet was trying his best to peek out of the dirty peephole. "I would say that she's escaped from some mental asylum to kill us."

"Very funny, Cam," Jet said as he continued his endeavor.

The doorbell rang again. This time Eton emerged at the top of the staircase with a blanket wrapped around him and drooping eyes.

Through a yawn, he said, "Who's at the door?"

"Some lunatic that's trying to kill us."

Eton rolled his eyes and made his way down the stairs, stumbling as the blanket got caught around his feet.

"She's not going away," Jet frowned.

Eton yawned again.

"Of course she isn't. She knows that someone's home. She can see our shadow through the curtains."

He nodded to the white curtains that covered the small windows that lined the door. The backlighting caused by the light hanging above them no doubt made their shadows appear in the white curtain in the darkening sky of the front porch.

Jet's frown deepened.

"Get behind me," he said as he grabbed a pink umbrella from their umbrella stand.

"Why should I?" Camilla claimed as she grabbed an umbrella of her own.

Jet's expression flickered with annoyance.

Eton removed his blanket and held it out in front of him prepared to charge at the woman and tie her up.

Jet held the umbrella behind his back as he pulled the door open.

Behind the door, in fact, stood a woman in witch's robes. They fell to her feet and the dark blue velvet looked uncomfortable for a warm Californian night. Everything about the woman was straight, her nose, her posture, and her dark hair. Camilla had an itch to check if there was a broom attached to her back.

Camilla was the first to speak, "Are you a lunatic? Because if you are go for Eton first-" She shoved Eton towards the woman despite his protest. "He hates, you know, crazy people."

"I do not!" Eton turned onto his sister with a red face, more angry at the fact that she would shove him towards this strange lady than what she had said.

"Do too. You won't even get close to great grandpappy Barebone."

"That's not my fault! He starts screaming at me anytime I'm near him. I swear next Thanksgiving he's going to scream himself to death!"

"As interesting as this family discussion is..." The witch scanned over the younger siblings with thinly veiled disgust, "I need to talk to Phillip...alone."

The two fidgeted beneath her stare. They knew when she said Phillip she meant Jet. After all, Jet was a nickname given to him by their mother because of his jet grey eyes. Eton likewise, was a nickname for his most unusual shade of green eyes. His real name was Arthur. Camilla had her own. But she despised it so much that she would punch whoever called her by it. It being Baby Blue of course.

"Why should we let you," Camilla asked as she stepped in front of Jet, "You never did answer if you were a lunatic or not."

The witch spoke in a clipped voice, "I am not a lunatic. I am a Professor. Now Phillip follow me."

"Don't worry. I'll shout if she pulls a knife out of her robes."

Jet gave them a reassuring smile before following the witch into the living room.

She grabbed the door. Her eyes peered into Eton's. A shiver passed over him. It remained even as she slammed the door shut.

Camilla grabbed his arm and pulled on his arm.

"Come on. We won't be able to hear them from over here."

The air still felt cold around him.

"I don't like her, Cam. There's something dark about her."

He stood and tried to twist the doorknob open, but it wouldn't budge.

"The door won't open!"

"Shut up, Eton! I won't be able to hear anything with you chattering like a monkey."

Eton huffed but pressed his ear against the door, trying his best to ignore his sister's fiery red hair that itched his face.

It was not Eton's talking that kept them from hearing anything. The other side of the door was completely silent. He pressed his ear harder against the door.

This made no sense! He had always been able to hear through this door. He and his siblings would listen to their father's meetings with the strange men that came on Friday nights.

The piece of driftwood that he had found on the beach years ago burned his skin. He yelped, causing his sister to glare at him with her blue eyes.

He lifted his shirt and noticed an angry red mark. Camilla's mouth fell open and she reached for the stick.

 _Snap_

She jumped a mile as she shouted, "What is that!"

Eton shrugged and took it out of his pocket. It felt eager beneath his grasp. He pointed at the door, unsure of what to do.

"See if it will open it just a crack so we can hear what they say."

Eton imagined the door opening just a crack, flooding the dark hallway with the light from the living room.

Then, as if by magic, it creaked open.

They rushed to peer through the little opening.

The witch sat in a high backed purple velvet chair so that only the top of her midnight blue could be seen. Jet sat facing the fireplace that had only been lit once in their memory. His jet grey eyes flashed to the door. Panic spread across his features when he saw his siblings blue and green eyes. He turned quickly back to the witch and jumped to his feet.

"I should get packing."

Through the archway that led to the kitchen, they heard the back door open accompanied by their mother's footsteps. Eton squirmed with excitement and a smile spread across his face. Their mother emerged in a paint-covered smock and wearing a banda. She was fixing the strap on her paint bag with a small smile that revealed two dimples. She was breathtakingly beautiful and had been told more than a couple of times that she should ditch her children and join the silver screen. Each time someone told her this, she would laugh and claim she couldn't be happier than when she's with her children.

She froze and raised her head slowly. The bag dropped from her shoulder. She glanced behind her, before speaking in a hushed whisper,

"He always said that you were real…" Her eyes lit determination, "You mustn't tell him. He'll use him. He'll make him an enemy of his own kind, just like his great, great grandpa did."

The witch stood. She strode towards their mother. Each step their mother shrunk away. When the witch stopped in front of her, she could not meet her eyes. The witch survived her before taking out a wooden stick that bore a resemblance to Eton's stick.

"Do not fear non-maj. You will know nothing of where he is, nothing of what he is."

She placed the stick against their mothers head.

Eton tensed. He had seen something like this from the movies. He got ready to spring from his position, but movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. His brother was staring right at him, shaking his head.

Eton relaxed but did not put the stick away.

He turned his attention back to the witch and his mother. Their mother looked between the witch and the wand. Her breaths were ragged and uneven.

She twisted the stick and said,

"Falsamemoriae"

Their mother's eyes clouded over and in a dreamy voice said, "Why, yes. Saint Peter's sounds like a wonderful school. Have fun my darling."

The witch smiled. It sent shivers down Eton's spine. He shut the door, cutting off the witch and his brother. He turned to his sister.

Her blue eyes were narrowed. He could almost see everything zipping around in her brain. She opened her mouth to say something, but she never got the chance because the witch and their brother emerged from the door.

Eton hid the wand behind his back.

"Go pack your things, Jet. I will be waiting outside once you are done."

Jet sent a glance at Eton and his sister before running up the stairs, leaving them alone with the witch.

She pointed her stick at Camilla, who flinched away.

"I could make this not hurt, but your breed deserves a little pain."

She smiled. It was a mad smile, one of a person that enjoyed others pain.

Eton stepped away from her. His back pressed against the wall.

She twisted her wand and said, "Obliviate."

A shudder rocked Camilla's body. Goosebumps appeared on her arms. She collapsed to the floor.

The witch turned to Eton. He glared up at her with the same determination that his mother possessed.

The woman brought the stick to his head. He imagined an invisible shield growing around himself. His skin itched and the wand grew warm.

The stick twisted against his hair.

"Obliviate."

He shut his eyes and fell to the ground. He held his breath, hoping that his performance had been believable enough.

The witch gave a burst of light laughter before walking to the door. Once Eton heard it shut, he jumped to his feet and raced up the stairs.

Eton dashed through the hallway, haphazardly crashing into the walls. He arrived at his brothers room out of breath. He threw the door open to see Jet throwing clothes into a trunk.

"Where are you going? What did the witch want?" Eton panted.

Jet did not look to his brother.

"There was no witch, Eton. Just a professor from Saint Peters, a boarding school in Boston. I've been offered a spot. It's an opportunity I can not ignore. It's the top boarding school in the country."

He spoke stiffly like he had a script right in front of him.

Eton stepped further into the room, shutting the door behind him. He narrowed his unusual green eyes at Jet.

"You're lying. You never lie."

He stepped closer to his brother.

"Is the witch making you leave? I can help you escape."

"There is no witch!" Jet bellowed as he slammed the trunk close.

Eton jumped back. His forehead furrowed.

"Why won't you tell me what's happening?" Eton cried.

Jet turned to his brother. He stood up straight, towering over Eton. His jet grey eyes stormed. Through clenched teeth, he said, "I'll tell you once you tell me what happened to Kilo."

The air crackled between the two brothers. The stick in Eton's hand begged to be used.

Jet turned away first he grabbed his trunk and slammed the door open. The last Eton heard of his brother was the shutting of the front door.

He sunk to the ground with tears in his eyes


	2. Chapter 2

Eton woke with a dream hanging onto the edge of consciousness. All he could remember was a flash of green light than silence. He rubbed his head, frowning, but the dream had faded. He kicked the covers off and went to the window.

Clouds hung low in the sky. If Eton lived anywhere else besides Southern California, he might of thought it meant rain. But it hadn't rained all summer, why would it change now?

He turned his attention to the real thing he cared about- the ocean.

Off in the distance, a long and smooth oblique waves broke steadily along the reef.

Eton smiled like a child on Christmas and raced off to his brother's room, only when he got there did he see Jet's things scattered about and the bed made. His heart sank remembering that his brother had gone with the witch. He kicked at the Tommy Tinker. It soared into the wall and fell onto the ground with a dishearten thump.

Eton slammed the door shut and marched down the stairs, pass his mother and sister who ate at the kitchen table with a mumble that he was going to the reef. He left out the front door.

His mother watched him go in surprise. She turned to Camilla and said, "He isn't wearing any swim trunks."

Eton threw his leg over his bike and raced down the road.

Once the foliage cleared, a beach became clear. Off in the distance white waves broke but before that the water was a calm blue grey. Rocky jetties surrounded it.

Eton jumped off his bike while it was still moving and ran into the water. Diving beneath the surface, he swam straight through a school of fish, scattering them in every direction. He pushed against the water with all his strength till he reached a speed that would make people look for flippers. Only when his lungs began to burn and darkness edged his vision did he kick off the sand.

His head broke the surface. He gasped for air. On the beach sat his mother and his sister, who was halfway up the palm tree. His mother smiled at him.

He ignored it and dived beneath the water once again. He stayed in the water for hours just swimming and floating on his back. Camilla joined him at one point. But when he refused to acknowledge her, she swam back to shore and fell from a tree to garnish their mothers attention.

When his stomach roared and one more stroke would make him pass out from exhaustion, he slumped ashore. His mother awaited him with a towel in hand. She wrapped it tight around him and kissed him on the forehead.

He shook it off and marched home.

His sour mood lasted for months and became even worse once school started. The teachers had sent letters home with him about his snappy remarks and his tendency to lure the other school boys into fights. He had only escaped expulsion because he was never the one to start the fights. Though he had earned enough floggings that he had to go to the doctor to make sure his tailbone hadn't been broken.

His mood made the loss of Jet even worse for their mother, and her artwork showed this. The once sunny days she painted had turned into raging storms and portraits of Jet and Eton done in a dark style.

Eton could hear her crying in her room at night, mourning her decision to let her son go. This drove Eton mad. So at nights, especially on those of the full moon, he would sneak out of the window to the beach where he would swim, surf, sail or explore. This led to sleepless nights and did more to enhance his foul mood.

Camilla had tried her best to drag her mother and brother out of the pit, but no matter what she did nothing worked so resigned to her room to play with her imaginary friends.

Even the weather outside had been effected, the grey clouds that remained over the peninsula that the Herbert's lived on became the talk of the town.

"They're always there, even if there isn't a cloud in the sky elsewhere."

"It looks like it should rain but its just as dry as anywhere else!"

The only member of the Herbert family that was unaffected was their father. Philip Herbert Senior was the youngest judge to ever be on a federal district court, and, therefore, spent most of his time either locked in his study or in San Francisco. It had taken him a month before he even questioned where his eldest son was.

The day before Thanksgiving, the miserable Herbert household heard a doorbell once again. Their mother, who had been fluttering through the house with a frown, was the only one to open the door this time.

When she opened it, her mouth fell open. Her oldest son, wearing a backpack, stood there with a smile as if he had only gone to spend the night at a friends. But his pale skin and gelled hair told a different story.

He giddly ran to his mother and crushed her into a hug.

She let out a loud sob.

"Mother, Saint Peter's is the most amazing school… Oh where's Camilla and Eton? They're going want to hear this too!"

His blond curls bounced as he bounded up the stairs. He was sure that his siblings would still be sleeping at this early hour.

He went to Camila's room first. He knocked on the door. When a disheveled Camila opened the door, he grinned brilliantly at her.

She rubbed her eyes, before crushing him in a hug.

"Thank god you're home. Mother and Eton have been a bore since you've left. They done nothing but mope around the house."

"Shall we go pay our dearest brother a visit then?"

Camilla's blue eyes sparkled as she and Jet raced down the hall to their brother's room. They threw the door open without knocking, but Eton was nowhere to be seen.

Jet frowned, "Is he at the beach already?"

As they turned to leave, they heard a thud come from the window. They whipped around to see Eton crawling through it. His blond hair wet from the ocean. He glared at Jet. Behind him, lightning struck through the clouds followed by roaring thunder.

Eton pulled himself the rest of the way into the room.

Jet sucked in a breath. His beautiful baby brother was marred with scars and bruises, including a fresh black eye.

"Who the hell did this Eton? I swear I'll make them regret ever touching my baby brother."

"It's Arthur to you, and if you really cared what was happening with me, you would've written."

Jet was taken aback.

"I couldn't write. They wouldn't let me…"

"I guess you follow everything that evil witch says don't ya? Even if it keeps mom up at night crying."

Jet's face broke as he said, "Mom's been crying?"

Eton nodded.

Jet's eyes widened.

"I had no idea. I...I…"

Camila's curiosity got the better of her as she interrupted the two, "What witch?"

"The witch that came to take Philip away," answered Eton, annoyed that his own sister forgot that lady.

"I don't remember anything about the day Jet left, only after it everything became a whole lot sadder."

Jet drummed his fingers on the wooden door frame as he chewed on his bottom lip. He glanced at his brother, before turning away and saying, "How about we all go the beach and go surfing just like we did before I left?"

Camilla, having had enough of everyone's foul mood, agreed immediately. She jumped from the bed and ran to her bedroom to get changed into a bathing suit.

Jet lingered though.

"I really wish I could tell you what's going on Eton-" He looked into his brother's eyes and saw anger brewing in them. He couldn't stand to look at them so he sent his gaze to the oak floor- "They'll throw me into jail if I tell you."

A lightning bolt struck just outside their house with a deadly white flash. Jet stumbled back and Camilla screamed while Eton remained rooted in his spot with his green eyes bearing into Jets.

"I'm sorry Eton."

Eton had his hypotheses about his brother. His favorite being that the witch had really been a giant lizard and taken his brother to join the Illuminati. He did have a likely one though- one that made him shake in his sandals- the witch had truly been a professor of a magical school, and Jet had been sent to attend it.

He only needed proof now. So once he heard the laughter of his family downstairs, he snuck into his brother's room where a brown satchel sat unguarded on Jet's bed. His heart thudded as he poured the contents out. Broken feathers, parchment, an ink bottle, candy wrappers and a book title Chadwick's Charms Volume 1- Simple Spells for Saccharine Students spilled onto the bed.

Only one thing could be said, "Snails!"


	3. Chapter 3

Eton poked at the book. Once his hand touched the hard orange cover, it shot back as if it had been burned. The handsome male in a witch's hat on the cover had moved! He was once smiling and now was frowning!

Eton stumbled back from it. He ran into his brother's shelf, knocking his spelling bee trophy to the ground with a loud thud. He cringed and listened to make sure his brother hadn't heard.

"Daisy! How lovely to see you again!" His mother greeted his Aunt downstairs. His extended family must have arrived.

Eton turned his attention away from downstairs. He knew his brother would have run in the other direction seeing their model T pull up. But the door flung open, Jet stood in its wake with wide eyes. He glanced at the mess on his bed then at his brother.

He ran to his bed and threw everything into his satchel, placing it on his shoulder. He turned on his heel to face his brother.

"You Dorcus!" He whispered yelled.

Redness seeped into his face. Eton in all his life had never seen his brother this mad before.

"You… you…. Ugh!"

Jet's face had gone completely red.

"Well, well, if it isn't the wizard and his little guardian."

The redness drained from Jet's face.

In the doorway stood their first cousin Charles, a pompous looking 12 year old with blond hair and brown eyes, their second cousin Edward, a grumpy looking 11 year old with black hair and green eyes, and Edward's brother Joseph, who was thirteen and just had his first growth spurt so he towered over all the other boys. They glared at the Herbert brothers.

They waited for Jet's snapback. It always came, but he just stood there pale with his mouth open.

Eton glanced at his brother, before stepping forward. His knees felt weak. Sure, he had faced most of the boys in his grade and some older, but they could not compare to the brutality of his cousins. Without his brother standing in front of him, he felt like he had already been socked in the stomach.

"S-shut up Charles."

Eton shoulders slumped. He knew how weak he sounded.

"I'm soo scared. What are you going to do Wizard? Make a rabbit come out of a hat?"

"You guys are as dumb as the Protestants. You think someone is a witch just because of a facial feature like green eyes."

Bright red hair pushed through the crowd of boys. Camilla stood in front of her brothers, facing her cousins. She held the hand of her youngest second cousin, Virginia, who was seven. She had the biggest brown eyes and a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her button nose.

Charles scoffed.

"What do you know of the protestants Baby Blue?"

This shook Jet out of his stupor. He was still pale, but he placed a hand on his sister's shaking shoulder, just as the spelling bee trophy began to float off the ground. It slammed back onto the ground with a bang.

Jet stepped forward, looking more himself.

"How bout you three just head back to your delusional home, where witches and wizards are out to get ya? I don't think reality wants ya anywhere near it."

Joseph threw the punch. It went right for Jet's head. Jet staggered back, then all hell broke loose. Eton's nerves disappeared as he launched himself at Charles. Charles smirked and slammed his fist into Eton's jaw. Camilla ran at Edward and jumped onto his back. She pulled at his hair like a possessed demon.

In the background of this fighting, Virginia sat on the floor. Her eyes focused on the Tommy Tinker on the floor. It floated it towards her and she began to play with it.

Down the hallway, Mr. Herbert walked with his sister at his side. He wore an annoyed look.

"I don't have time to be looking for witches and wizards Daisy-" Edward ran out into the hall with Camilla on his back. He slammed against the wall. Camilla shrieked in pain.

Daisy's blue eyes gleamed at the scene. She turned to her brother and said, "I suppose you should break this up before one of your children ends up dead. I'm going to go join Mother and Uncle Augustus on their search."

She left the way they came.

Mr. Herbert faced the scene before him, wishing he could retreat to his study and be surrounded by his books and cases. He had half mind to do so, but he knew his family well, and he believed his sister when she said that one of his children might end up dead.

He marched over to the fight and shouted, "Order! I declare order in this house!"

When that didn't work, he grabbed the back of Charles, who was kicking at Eton in the fetal position. He yanked Charles away from his son. Charles had barely been hurt. If it weren't for his ruffled hair and rumpled clothes, you wouldn't have known that he had been in a fight.

Charles hacked and spat right at Mr. Herbet.

Mr. Herbert wiped the spit from his face. He looked at the smiling Charles with indifference. He had expected no better from his sister's son.

Eton pushed himself up from the ground. He leaned heavily against the wall. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth. His other eye had been blackened. He glared at Charles.

Suddenly, Charles flew from Mr. Herbert's hand and into the wall then Edward and Joseph went flying across the room like they all had been smacked by an invisible hand.

Mr. Herbert glanced at his son. He shivered. He understood why his Grandfather had been so adamant on Eton being a wizard because of his unnatural green eyes. They almost seemed to glow from his beaten face.

Jet's face displayed the horror Mr. Herbert felt inside.

Camilla hacked herself and spat on Edward, saying "That's what you get when you mess with the Herbert siblings.

Virginia, noticing the silence, walked out of the room and into the hall. She peered at the three boys with her big brown eyes.

She then looked to Eton.

Mr. Herbert held his breath. If Virginia had witnessed the whole thing, she could go running to her mother. They would have a lot more to worry about then than broken noses and black eyes.

But she smiled, and said, "You are a wizard!"

She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him into the room and onto the bed.

"You have to teach me everything you know!

Mr. Herbert hadn't released his breath. Had Virginia at such a young age developed his sister's cunningness? Was she playing innocent to get information out of his sons?

Jet looked at Virginia suspiciously. When Eton opened his mouth to speak, he shook his head.

Camilla sat on the other side of Eton. Her baby blue eyes staring curiously at him.

Don't worry," Virginia said, "I'm like you too. Watch-" The Tommy Tinker floated towards Jet and landed on his lap. Jet pulled at the arms of the wooden toy.

Mr. Herbert retreated to his study and opened a bottle of gin. He toasted to good luck because he was sure as hell that he was going to need a lot of it. It's tricky business raising two wizards and a witch in a family of Scourers.


	4. Chapter 4

Jet dropped the Tommy Tinker and stood.

"You all are starting to sound as insane as them," he said, "Believing in magic, thinking that you can float objects from one place to another. You're… You're bananas!"

Jet wiped the blood that fell from his nose, grabbed his leather satchel, and walked towards the door.

Eton's slow claps made him pause.

"That was spectacular Phillip," said Eton, "Has that magical school of yours got acting classes? I'd say that by the time you graduate you're going to be ready for the silver screens. Maybe I'll go watch your shows then I can know more about the character you're playing than my own brother."

Jet dropped the bag from his shoulder.

"I've already told you why I can't tell you. Now, quit being such an asshole and accept it. Besides it's only a matter of time before they come for you then you'll know everything."

Eton jumped to his feet, startling the two girls sitting beside him.

"I am not going to that school!" Eton shouted.

The bed, bookshelf, nightstand table all began to float. Same with the leather satchel but it followed a different pattern. It moved towards the bed where Camilla waited with open hands.

"I am not going anywhere near that… that witch!"

"Professor Nez is one of the most welcoming professors and the most powerful witch of her age. All because she was the one that picked me up doesn't mean that you should hate her."

"All because she picked you up? All because she picked you up! She is foul Jet! The day she came she cast a spell on Camilla and you want to know what she said: "I could make this painless, but your breed deserves a little pain." She said that! I watched Camilla wince and sink to the floor! If it hadn't been for that stick I would have met the same fate! And here you are defending her! Acting like she isn't the reason that you are lying to us! The reason that you might be imprisoned for saying one wrong word!

Eton took a few ragged breaths. The furniture sunk back to the ground

When he spoke again, his voice was calmer-

"I am not going to that school that took my brother away without telling me where he was and without giving me a way to contact him. I am not going to a school where a professor blatantly harmed my sister because of what they thought she was. And I will not stand around as my brother defends it like it is the most perfect place in the world."

Eton strode to the door, but the bookshelf flung itself in front of him.

He faced his brother and said, "Very funny."

Jet shook his flabbergasted head and said, "Wasn't me."

Eton turned to the bed, where his sister and cousin sat with an orange book in hand.

Jet sunk to the floor with a wince and rubbed his temples, muttering about how much trouble he was going to be in and how he was going to end up like Ernie. But then he stopped and peered at his siblings. His heart broke. He couldn't keep the secret from them.

In truth, he had spent every night since he arrived at the school tossing and turning. More than a couple times, he got up to write to his brother and send the message with his falcon, Horus. Each time he threw the note into the fireplace.

The day he finally steeled his nerves, a boy in his year had been caught sending a message to his no-maj mother telling her how wonderful the magical school he went to was.

Professor Nez was on him with a swoop of her black cape. The whole school watched as she tore into him for being such a Dorcus (wizard slang for clueless idiot). She told him that he had breached Rapport's law and threaten the safety of every student in the school

After that poor Ernie had a hard time making friends. Everyone glared as he passed a few older students hexed him in the halls. One time he ended up in the hospital wing for a week because when he sneezed his pants would catch fire. To make matters worse, he had a cold that week.

But something that had bugged Jet at the time had reemerged, how had Professor Nez known what Ernie had said in that letter? She would have to search the mail to be able to see it. Perhaps she was just waiting for some poor No-maj born to slip and make an example of them. Anger surged through him. It fell in line with what Eton had said.

He stood, interrupting Virginia's laugh.

He marched to the bed, grabbed the book out, and flipped to page 177. He then grabbed the inkwell, quill, and parchment out of his bag.

"The wand lighting spell," read Camilla. She looked curiously at her brother.

"Yes. I have to write a foot of parchment on it for Professor Achilles. If he wasn't so strict I would of never of brought the book home. But if I failed to write the essay-" Jet shuddered -"He's known for docking points, you know, and never giving them and with Horned Serpent already in second-" he shuddered again- "The Prefects have been dogging anyone who loses any points."

"What's a Horned Serpent?"

"It's a snake-like beast with horns. I'm referring to the house, though. It favors scholars."-Pride seeped into his voice as he continued on, " It's the best of the four you see. It's won the House Cup ten years on a row now and was the house founded by Isolt herself. She was the founder of the school."

"But you're in second now," Said Camilla with a smirk.

"Because of the Thunderbirds," He rolled his eyes as he said the name, "They favor adventurers and have come in last as many times as the Horned Serpents have come in first. Their Prefects thought it would be funny to pull a prank on us Horned Serpents and dethrone us from the House Cup so they've been model students since the semester started. Of course, that's only when teachers are around. I'm sure it won't last too long. They tend to bore of things if they last too long."

"And the other two?" Added Eton. He had joined his sister and cousin on the bed. "You said that there are four houses. You've only mentioned two."

"Oh, yes. There's Pukwudgie, which are grey, short humanoid things that have a rather foul mouth. They wander around the school. Clean stuff up, ya know. It favors healers and represents the heart. The students tend to be passionate not always about there studies though…"

He trailed off.

"And the other?" Virginia asked.

"Wampus favors warriors. They're tough. If it isn't Horned Serpent winning than it's them. Half of the house excels at practical magic but forget about the importance of theory- which is dim-witted. Magic is much more than saying a couple of words and waving your wand to shot spells out of-"

He took a deep breath.

"The other half of the house are jocks, which mean they have a good quodpot team and quidditch team."

He launched into a story about the Quodpot teams. There were five at Ilvermorny. Four house teams, which were normally made of younger classmen, and the school team. The school team went around the country playing against the other wizarding schools on the continent. It was composed of the top Quodpot players at the school-

"They're famous. They eat at their own table and everything. You can't really talk to them first. A girl tried to ask Leo on a date to Hornmead one time and got turned down with the whole school watching."

Eton zoned out as Jet began to explain the rules with fever. He picked up the orange book. He gazed at the picture of the wooden stick- no, wand- light at the top with a ball of light.

"Do you suppose I could keep this book Jet?" Asked Eton. "I'll write the essay for you."

Jet paused in his description of the first Quodpot game.

"I don't know Eton. It might be too risky with our family being scourers and all. Besides, you shouldn't be learning any of this stuff yet. Professor Nez will be suspicious when she comes to collect you."

"I won't let anyone see it. I'll hide it away far from the house, and I'll pretend to know nothing when she comes around."

Jet thought it over and said, "Alright, but if you get caught you better have one hell of a cover story."

Eton smile dazzled beneath his busted lip. He tucked himself away and read the wonderful book while his brother continued his story to the eager Camilla and Virginia.

He only stopped reading when his mother opened the door. Their cousins had disappeared from the hallway and were no doubt coming up with a scheme to make their Herbert siblings pay.

Their mother screeched at the state of them and ushered to them to the bathroom to clean up. While they wiped the blood from their faces, they laughed and talked like old times. Through the window, they saw the blue sky with the shining sun. They ran out of the bathroom, grabbed their boards, and headed straight for the beach where they stayed till midnight when their mother called them back in with towels in her hands.


	5. Chapter 5

On Thanksgiving day, Eton sat with his family and extended family at the massive dark wood table. His wet blond hair clung to his forehead. It dripped salty water down his tan face. He pulled at the tie around his neck. It was more uncomfortable than the sand that coated him.

Eton felt the eyes of his family on him, but he kept his eye glued on the golden plate before.

In any normal family, their disapproving glares would because of his sopping wet hair and his reek of salt. But not this family.

He was surrounded by 14 nortious wizard and witch haters, scoucers as his brother told him. This would normally not of fright Eton, but that was before his brother told him the truth that wizards and witches are real, and Eton, having displayed magic before, was one of them along with his sister and cousin.

One slip up would send his family running for their guns.

"Shall we go around the table and say what we are thankful for?" Said his Grandma Isabella. She didn't look like a Grandma. She was in her fifties without a single strand of grey in her blonde hair. Her green eyes held an intense intelligence. She placed her hand on the elderly man that sat beside her. The pupils of his eyes were a milky white. He couldn't see further than his plate. "How about you start dad?"

"What!" He said, poking a finger in his ears where white puffs of hair grew.

Eton shrunk further into his seat. Charles smirked at this.

"Er- nevermind dad," She said, "How about you August?"

August stuffed his face full of mashed potatoes so when he spoke it came out as a muffled mess that no one could understand.

"Charming brother."

Her eyes swept the table when they landed on Astrid, Eton's first cousin and the sister of Charles. She fixed her silky brown hair in the reflection of her spoon. Her sister Mildred glared at her from the corner of her eye.

"How about you Astrid? What are you thankful for?"

Astrid pouted in the spoon.

"Astrid," said Daisy (Their Aunt), "Your grandma asked you what you are thankful for."

Astrid didn't put the spoon down when she spoke, "That I am not an ugly hag like Mildred."

Mildred's face turned a violent shade of red. She ripped the spoon out of her sister's hand and smacked her in the face with it.

"Ow," cried Astrid, "You bruised my face!"

Astrid lunged at her sister.

"Well, I'll tell you what I'm thankful for," said Isabella as she ignored her two fighting grandchildren, "I'm thankful that my dear son Phillip has agreed to allow his sister and her kids to stay here while John-" (Daisy's Husband)- "is developing that dam a couple of towns away."

Eton dropped the serving spoon full of cranberry sauce into the gravy. The brown liquid splattered across the white table cloth. Camilla knocked her golden plate off the table. She disappeared under the table cloth to grab it. Even their mother's delicate eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"Dear me! Philip, have you not told them yet?"

Their father scooped the mashed potatoes on his plate with a displeased look.

"That was because I said no."

"My lord!" Isabella exclaimed, "In these rough times you're just going to leave your sister out on the street with her three lovely children-" Astrid had slammed her sister to the ground while they were talking and was now pulling on her hair- "I know you never liked us-" She sniffled- "But we are family."

Eton poked his brother and whispered into his ear, "I see where you get your acting skills from now."

But he didn't respond, he was focused on the conversation.

"I suppose they could stay for a little while," said their mother tentatively.

"Wonderful!" Isabella beamed, "Dig in everyone!"

They all picked up their forks well Isabella did. Everyone else had already begun to eat.

"You know what I'm thankful for," Said Jet.

Everyone looked at him. Even Astrid, who had stopped kicking her sister to fix her hair, peered at him from behind her spoon (though it didn't last long).

"Great, Great, Great, Great Grandpa Barebones. Now that was a man."

Their Grandma and Aunt's eyes flickered to Philip Sr. who was shoveling a piece of turkey he hadn't bother to cut into his mouth.

A faint memory emerged in Eton's mind of his grandmother telling a story about their four times great Grandpa to him and his siblings, but he couldn't remember anything about it.

"Yes-" Isabella cleared her throat and readjusted her napkin which was in her lap- "He was truly a magnificent man. I'm surprised that you remember him. Your father has always been… neglectful about our family history."

"I don't remember him," mumbled Eton.

He dragged his spoon through his cranberry sauce to keep from looking up.

"I'm surprised, wizard. If I were you, I would be trembling in my boots at his name after what he did," snarled Charles.

"Wizard!" said their Great Grandfather as he painfully got to his feet. He grabbed his walking cane and swung it around in a slow arc. When he spoke again it came out in huffed breaths, "Where… is… he."

"Sit down, father. There are no wizards here."

He sat down and began to eat again.

"Perhaps I'll tell you the story tonight as a bedtime story."

Eton fidgeted. He would rather avoid his family, but he nodded his head.

The rest of the dinner and dessert passed in silence. After, the woman went to the kitchen to clean up, and the men retired to the study for a smoke.

The kids were left to run amuck. Eton, Jet, and Camilla raced upstairs to change into their swimming suits before any of their cousins could corner them. They then ran to the beach and went straight to the water much to the disappointment of their cousins. They may be top dogs on land but they stood no chance in the water.

Late at night, the Herbert siblings were tucked in Eton's bed by their mother. Each was given a kiss on the forehead before she left with a warm smile. Warmth filled them as they shut their eyes, but the door banged open.

Eton flew out of the bed. A draft blew through the open door giving him goosebumps beneath his silky pajamas.

Isabella stood in the doorway with her hair in a severe bun.

"Get in bed, child," she said.

Eton scrambled back into his bed, no longer feeling warm. His siblings felt the same. Jet peered at his grandma through narrowed eyes. Camilla clenched the sheets, ripping them away from the other two.

Their grandmother sat at the end of the bed. They scooted closer to the oak headboard.

"Once upon a time, there was a dim-witted witch named Dorcus Twelvetrees, " She spoke in a cruel tone, "she fell in love with your four times great grandpa, Bartholomew Barebone. She loved to show him harmless little magic tricks. But Bartholomew knew how evil magic truly was so he stole her wand, gathered an army, and attacked these foul beasts. But he was caught-"

Her green eyes glowed with malice as she continued on-

"They performed horrible spells on him. He fell to the ground, withering in pain. Then they-"

She explained the torture that he had gone which were not fit for anyone's ears, much less an 11, 9 and 8 years old.

"They finished him off with the darkest spell that there is… instant death….. Avada Kedavra."

Eton's stomach flipped. He raced to the bathroom where his ratcheted.

Their grandma glared after him and said, "Weak child."

She stood and left the room.

Once the door clicked shut, Eton emerged in the doorway of the bathroom. He was clammy and pale which made his eyes look like someone had shoved emeralds into their sockets.

Camilla also looked a little paler than usual.

Jet looked at them with worry while saying, "All the stuff she said was total bull. Bartholomew killed a group of unexpecting witches and wizards with that army of his. And they did not do all that nasty magic to him. They had him fairly tried and he was sent to prison for his crimes."

He got a haughty look.

"A weak punishment if I had a say. He killed thirteen witches and wizards. One of them being Obedience Thatcher, a famous author, and America's sweetheart. I was the only one who knew that of course. It got Horned Serpent 10 points."

Eton gave him a weak smile.

Camila snorted and said, "You sound like such a prat."

Jet scoffed and rolled to his side so that he wasn't facing his sister. Eton joined them in bed, but he laid awake, looking up at the ceiling and thinking over the spell- Avada Kedavra.

Flashes of green danced along the ceiling.

When the night passed to early morning, he climbed out of his bed, grabbed the orange book and his stick of driftwood (which he had figured by now was a wand), and snuck down the creaky stairs.


End file.
